When last I saw Liz Phair just a few months ago, she played a packed Turf Club with a somewhat stripped down performance of “Exit In Guyville” we already knew that she would be back last night at First Ave with a sold out (sense a theme here?) concert on her Amps on the Lawn tour.
Speedy Ortiz was up first and had already drawn a good sized crowd to First Avenue. The band released their 3rd album “Twerp Verse” earlier this year. I was not familiar with them at all, I did check out one YouTube video of theirs – so much for being prepared. I really enjoyed their vibe, it was fun indie rock (with some sharp lyrics as I found out after the show). They also champion making music venues safer spaces and feature a book about the topic “Making Spaces Safer” at their merch table.
Set List: Buck / Lean / Lucky / Raisin / Grads / Casper / Ginger / Blessed / Villain – Swell / Plough / ??
It’s been 25 years since the release of Liz Phair’s first album. She may be double the age she was then, but any concerns of her becoming “boring” were whisked away by the first line of her opening song “Flower” “Every time I see your face I get all wet between my legs”. If anything is was delivered with more snarkiness than a 25 year old can, to the cheers of the crowd. Strangely photographers were limited to the first song, and that one probably had the least flattering lights fo the entire set. But hey, we work with what we get, purple skin tones coming right up 🙂
Sadie Dupuis from Speedy Ortiz joined her for “Blood Keeper”. Phair seemed to have as much fun as the crowd. “It’s never bad here” was a shout out to Minneapolis and First Ave. And she sported an “Uff-Da Records” shirt – a local connection to St. Cloud. She and her band sounded tight and great.
Set List: Flower / Supernova / Cinco de Mayo / Johnny Feelgood / Blood Keeper (with Sadie Dupuis) mm/ Uncle Alvarez / Everything To Me / The Game / Never Said / 6’1″ / Help Me Mary / Mesmerizing / Take a Look / Polyester Bride / Stratford-on-Guy / Extraordinary / Why Can’t I?
Encore: / Fuck and Run / Divorce Song
